Reason behind schedule of thoroughbred breeding season

By Bill GiauqueColumnist

Published: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 9:29 p.m.

Not only is the thoroughbred industry racing swiftly toward the Eclipse Awards, the Academy Awards of horse racing, but this is the time of year when colts and horses are retired to stud. To get the careers of these new stallions off to a running start, good business procedure requires stallion managers to get new stallions retired and promoted well in advance of breeding season.

Breeding sheds around the county open in early to mid-February. The traditional opening day of breeding season is Feb. 15, but if a mare comes into heat, or estrous, a little before that day, stallion managers will fudge their opening day a little.

The reason for this is date is two fold. A mare’s gestation period is roughly 11 months, and all thoroughbreds born in a given year become one-year-old on the next Jan. 1. In a sport that organizes races by age group, it is advantageous to be “older” than the competition. Horses conceived in February will normally be born, or foaled, in January.

Thoroughbreds race by age. Two-year-olds race against other two-year-olds. Three-year-olds race against other three-year-olds, in general, until late in their three-year-old year.

A foal born in December would be at a huge disadvantage at the races since it would actually be slightly more than a year old when it turns two. Because of the gestation period of horses and the organization of races by age, the breeding season runs from February to July 4, roughly.

Mare owners, a somewhat obsessive group by nature, want to get an early jump on the competition by breeding their mares as early as possible.

There have been three new stallions added to the stallion rosters of Ocala farms in recent weeks.

Undefeated Thunder Moccasin has been retired to stud at Bridlewood Farm.

This son of A. P. Warrior won both of his races, including the Hutcheson Stakes (gr.2) Gulfstream Park, in a brief racing career. The colt that sold for $35,000 as a weanling and $95,000 as yearling before winning $114,300 in a two-race career.

A. P. Warrior, standing at Stonewall Farm, is the second-leading, third crop sire in Florida. Thunder Moccasin will stand for $2,500.

Repole Stable and Ocala Stud will stand Overdriven, another undefeated colt, in partnership at Ocala Stud. Like Thunder Moccasin, Overdriven only started twice, winning both starts, including the Sanford Stakes (gr. 2) at Saratoga and $126,000, according to the American Produce Records. He won his two races by more than a total of seven lengths.

The son of Tale of the Cat is a half-brother to millionaire, grade-two winner Smooth Jazz. Overdriven was a $200,000 weanling purchase and later sold for $350,000 as a yearling. He will stand the 2013 season for $3,000.

A third newcomer is Florida-bred standout Jackson Bend. The son of Hear No Evil will stand at Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud for $5,000. Bred in Florida by Fred and Jane Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm, Jackson Bend won nine races, including two grade ones and $1,613,450. He won the 2012 Carter Handicap over top class sprinters Caleb’s Posse and Shackleford.

In addition to his top class sprinting ability, Jacks or Better was able to carry his speed to third in the Preakness Stakes (gr. 1). In all, he won or placed in 19 of 28 starts.

He is out of the Tabasco Cat mare Sexy Stockings. Her first three foals, including Jackson Bend, are stakes horses.

<p>Not only is the thoroughbred industry racing swiftly toward the Eclipse Awards, the Academy Awards of horse racing, but this is the time of year when colts and horses are retired to stud. To get the careers of these new stallions off to a running start, good business procedure requires stallion managers to get new stallions retired and promoted well in advance of breeding season.</p><p>Breeding sheds around the county open in early to mid-February. The traditional opening day of breeding season is Feb. 15, but if a mare comes into heat, or estrous, a little before that day, stallion managers will fudge their opening day a little.</p><p>The reason for this is date is two fold. A mare's gestation period is roughly 11 months, and all thoroughbreds born in a given year become one-year-old on the next Jan. 1. In a sport that organizes races by age group, it is advantageous to be “older” than the competition. Horses conceived in February will normally be born, or foaled, in January.</p><p>Thoroughbreds race by age. Two-year-olds race against other two-year-olds. Three-year-olds race against other three-year-olds, in general, until late in their three-year-old year.</p><p>A foal born in December would be at a huge disadvantage at the races since it would actually be slightly more than a year old when it turns two. Because of the gestation period of horses and the organization of races by age, the breeding season runs from February to July 4, roughly.</p><p>Mare owners, a somewhat obsessive group by nature, want to get an early jump on the competition by breeding their mares as early as possible.</p><p>There have been three new stallions added to the stallion rosters of Ocala farms in recent weeks.</p><p>Undefeated Thunder Moccasin has been retired to stud at Bridlewood Farm.</p><p>This son of A. P. Warrior won both of his races, including the Hutcheson Stakes (gr.2) Gulfstream Park, in a brief racing career. The colt that sold for $35,000 as a weanling and $95,000 as yearling before winning $114,300 in a two-race career.</p><p>A. P. Warrior, standing at Stonewall Farm, is the second-leading, third crop sire in Florida. Thunder Moccasin will stand for $2,500.</p><p>Repole Stable and Ocala Stud will stand Overdriven, another undefeated colt, in partnership at Ocala Stud. Like Thunder Moccasin, Overdriven only started twice, winning both starts, including the Sanford Stakes (gr. 2) at Saratoga and $126,000, according to the American Produce Records. He won his two races by more than a total of seven lengths.</p><p>The son of Tale of the Cat is a half-brother to millionaire, grade-two winner Smooth Jazz. Overdriven was a $200,000 weanling purchase and later sold for $350,000 as a yearling. He will stand the 2013 season for $3,000.</p><p>A third newcomer is Florida-bred standout Jackson Bend. The son of Hear No Evil will stand at Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud for $5,000. Bred in Florida by Fred and Jane Brei's Jacks or Better Farm, Jackson Bend won nine races, including two grade ones and $1,613,450. He won the 2012 Carter Handicap over top class sprinters Caleb's Posse and Shackleford.</p><p>In addition to his top class sprinting ability, Jacks or Better was able to carry his speed to third in the Preakness Stakes (gr. 1). In all, he won or placed in 19 of 28 starts. </p><p>He is out of the Tabasco Cat mare Sexy Stockings. Her first three foals, including Jackson Bend, are stakes horses.</p>